


Those Who Wait

by rmc28



Category: False Colours - Georgette Heyer
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Misses Clause Challenge, Regency Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-03-02 06:49:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2803427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rmc28/pseuds/rmc28
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Evelyn Fancot had to leave the Askhams in a hurry.  Patience is trying very hard to live up to her name.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Those Who Wait

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Luthien](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luthien/gifts).



> With sterling thanks to my beta [atreic](http://archiveofourown.org/users/atreic/pseuds/atreic).

Patience was trying very hard to live up to her name. It had been five days since Mr Evelyn had left, although she was certainly not counting them. He had mostly caused a great deal of extra work for the household, and everything about him spoke of money and a station far above her own, and they had never discussed anything but the most proper topics under the careful chaperonage of her Nurse. 

It was ridiculous to think that she had fallen in love with such a chance-met, clumsy, accident-prone young man. And ridiculous to dream that his sweet smiles and gentle conversation meant he cared for her too. Rich and handsome young men did not marry below their station, except perhaps for money, and she did not have that either.

It was her duty to assist Mama and Papa around the house, whether by managing the children, writing letters or figuring accounts. It was her duty to prepare to run a similar household when she made the expected suitable marriage to a gentleman of similar station in life, no doubt to a gentleman carefully chosen by her parents. It was certainly not her duty to dwell on every conversation with Mr Evelyn, every swift change of his expressive face, every word in his gentle voice.

Even if Mr Evelyn was the most handsome man she had ever met, that was hardly surprising given she had met very few men, all of them living in the neighbourhood of Woodland House. Their paths had crossed by pure accident - his own accident in fact - and now that he had been nursed back to life and health there was no reason she should see him again. There was definitely no reason she should find herself watching the road whenever there was no urgent call on her time.

At least with the children and the household and Papa's accounts there were plenty of urgent calls on her time. 

It happened that she was with her father in his study that morning, figuring accounts under his supervision, when James the footman brought in a visitor's card. Patience saw only that it was of particularly high-quality cardstock before her father directed her to go and help her mother. If there was a significance to the glance her father and James exchanged, it eluded her.

Her father remained closeted with his visitor throughout lunchtime, with James taking a tray through to them while Patience helped Nurse get the children fed. By now her curiosity was thoroughly aroused, but she had no excuse to visit the stables and just happen to see what kind of horse or carriage or groom might be there. The garden overlooked by the study might allow a glimpse of the visitor through the window, but she had no reason to go there. Instead she continued to help Nurse and firmly reminded herself no more than ten times an hour to concentrate on the task at hand.

In the middle of the afternoon, Mama appeared in the nursery to call Patience away. Instead of tasks in the still room or the scullery, as Patience expected, Mama hurried her upstairs to change her clothes.

"You cannot meet Lord Denville in your everyday dress, especially not when the children have spilled food on it," said Mama. 

"Oh bother, so they have," observed Patience, glancing down at it. "It is most tedious of them; perhaps I should ask Nurse to make me a matching apron for supervising lunchtimes, then my dresses might last longer between washes." They entered her room and Mama hurried past Patience to look through her small range of clean dresses. This reminded Patience of the first half of her parent's utterance.

"Mama, did you say Lord Denville? Of Ravenhurst? Is it he whom Papa has been sat with this whole time? But I did not think we knew him."

Mama, now that Patience observed her more closely, was not her usual calm self, though she was sustaining a very good imitation of it. Her eyes were suspiciously bright, her gestures more agitated and forceful, and though she often smiled, this afternoon it was wider and happier than usual. It reminded Patience of nothing more than when Jeffrey had been appointed to his first living, a more prestigious (and better paying) one than they had dreamed of.

"We did not know him, my dear, until a very short while ago. Perhaps it would help if I explain that Lord Denville's name is Evelyn Fancot."

Patience found herself sitting abruptly on her bed. The room seemed to be wobbling around her in a most disturbing way. "Mr Evelyn whom we nursed to health so recently is _Lord Denville_?"

" _Yes_ , my dear, he is," Mama replied. She sat down next to Patience and took her hand. "You are not a foolish girl, so I am sure you can guess what he and your father have been discussing these past hours. It is not what we had intended for you, but it could not happen to a worthier or more beloved daughter."

Patience looked at her mutely. The room seemed still very unsteady, almost unreal. Mama's face was steady in her gaze but some of the happiness seemed to be going out of it.

"Patience, dear, have I misunderstood you? I thought you remarkably fond of Mr Evelyn. He certainly was - _is_ \- fond of you, but if I have misunderstood, you do not need to see him. Stay here and I will do all that is needed to save you embarrasment."

Patience realised it was imperative she rediscover her voice. With an effort she gathered herself and gave her parent to understand that there had been no misunderstanding. It was not the most coherent of speeches, but most heartfelt, and restored smiles to both mother and daughter.

Mama poured her a cup of water, selected the most becoming of her day dresses, and assisted Patience into it. The activity and the refreshment calmed her, and she was able to follow her parent downstairs with a reasonable facsimile of calm reserve in her expression.

This was sorely tested when they entered Papa's study and she beheld Mr Evelyn - _Lord Denville_ \- standing by the window. He was even more handsome than she had remembered, and his vividly expressive face shifted from anxiousness to pure delight at the sight of her.

"Lord Denville," she said, concentrating very hard on making her curtsey correctly, and doing her best to ignore the blush she could feel rising to her cheeks.

"Miss Askham," he responded, stepping quickly towards her and making a bow. "I see your mother has explained my true identity to you. I am truly sorry for any misunderstanding - I had no intent to deceive, I promise you."

"I am sure of that, my lord," she responded. She could not stop looking at him. She was definitely blushing, and there was nothing to be done about it. But Lord Denville's smile was as enchanting as ever, and he had not stopped looking at her either.

"Miss Askham," he repeated. "Your father has given me permission to, ah, visit and talk with you. And to invite you, with your parents of course, to come and meet my family while they are at Ravenhurst. We would like you to come to dinner tomorrow evening."

"I have accepted that dinner invitation," interjected Papa.

"Perhaps you would like to walk through the village, Lord Denville," added her mother. "When you were here before, you did not get to see very much of it, but with this fine weather you can see it at its best. I am sure Patience will be willing to guide you until you must return home."

"Thank you, ma'am," said Lord Denville, very prettily. "I have an hour or two yet before I must depart."

He extended his arm to Patience. She took it, very gladly, and they walked out together into the warm afternoon.


End file.
